Graham’s 2016 Fred Whitton Challenge – April

The final month of training before the event saw me do a bit of everything- from 10 mile time trials to steady long distance miles. A note to anyone reading this with a view to following this plan, it is probably not the best way to do it!! Sticking to one goal would have been wiser but I’m terrible at that!

I started the month with a few days away in Ibiza. Now that it something I would recommend. A few days away riding with the sun on your back does you the world of good after enduring the long winter miles! The only problem is going back to wearing all your winter it when you return.

In between the speed training, by competing in time trials (to which I got a couple of PB!) I have ridden a one hundred mile ride to York and a few shorter, hillier rides taking in some more of the route. The York ride was ridden at the pace I would like to do on the day- around 200w whilst working at around 300w on the climbs. I actually had a bit of a tailwind and managed to average 18 mph. Don’t think I’ll be hitting those speeds on the Fred but it was a good ride to test the food strategy.

I am going to have two people out on the course handing me bottles and a few savoury snacks. To be honest the feed stops are amazing, this is just a way of saving a bit of time, as they can be quite busy. I find something savoury, like a tuna sandwich helps when taking in a plethora of sugary snacks.

Hardknott and Wrynose where just as horrible as I remembered but I did manage a PB which gave me confidence that I should be okay on the day, just as long as I don’t go into the ‘red’ too much. Not easy on a 30% gradient.

We did a final 50 mile ‘Fred’ ride one week before the event to test the pace and see if we could handle a 16 mph ride. I’m glad to say we could, although it will be tough. Oddly the weather forecast is for sunny and 20 degrees on the day…I knew the training in Ibiza would come in handy!!